The mode of action of anti-rheumatic drugs. 1. Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids

Although glucocorticoids are among the most potent and widely used anti-inflammatory agents, their mode of action is poorly understood. The most popular theory has been that glucocorticoids induce the formation of a group of proteins, collectively termed lipocortins, that inhibit phospholipase A2 activity, thereby decreasing the release of arachidonic acid and the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes [1, 2].